Teens Arrested in Sexual Assault of Saratoga Teen After She Commits Suicide

Does this story sound familiar to you? If it does, you’re not experiencing deja vu, but it is the exact same story as countless others that have happened this year. The victims are too numerous to name at this point. Most recently, headlines have been made about 17 year old Rehtaeh Parsons’ suicide in Nova Scotia after she was allegedly sexually assaulted and then bullied by her assailants.

Now, however, is the sad story of 15 year old Audrie Pott from Saratoga, California. Reports are saying that this young girl committed suicide after photos of her sexual assault began circulating around campus at Saratoga High School and online. Last night, three 16 year old boys were placed under arrest, facing possible charges of sexual battery. The names of the boys are not being released, as they are still minors.

Audrie never told her parents about the assault and they didn’t discover the information until after her death. Her parents are asking the courts to try the suspects as adults. The family’s attorney, Robert Allard, agrees. “What these boys did is beyond unconscionable. They should be held to the highest standard of the law to make sure this never ever happens again.”

One of these senseless suicides is one too many. Something needs to be done, legislation needs to be put into place, and these teenagers who think it’s acceptable to sexually assault someone, film it, and then post it for others to view need to be held accountable for their actions. It is reprehensible that things like this are actually happening and at such an alarming rate. If need be, perhaps there should be an extra course added to sexual health classes called, “Why You Shouldn’t Rape People…Ever,” since disgusting things like this keep happening and the parties involved always feign such innocence.

Please, parents, talk to your kids about this. And kids, don’t do things like this.

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About The Author

Nona Raybern
Nona writes things called words and puts them into sentences that are supposed to make sense, but sometimes don't. Writing this bio would be one of those times where it don't. She also likes grammer and speeling. And bourbon. And OH MY GOD, IS THAT A CUPCAKE?

MynameisBlarney

Those SOB’s are murderers as far as I’m concerned.

Missin’ Mississippi

That’s how I feel too. They won’t get a life sentence for rape, so at some point they’ll get to resume their life and that really bothers me. She was such a pretty girl.

Wreathy

Not that that has anything to do with it – the pretty factor I mean. And yes, they’ll get to resume their life and possibly grow into adulthood having it reinforced by those close to them that they made a ‘teenage mistake’.

PapaSloth

If you have to explain to your teenage son why rape is wrong, I think you’ve probably already failed as a parent to such an extent as to make any further instruction unlikely.

Ruminum

On the one hand, it’s true, but on the other hand, people learn to be participants in rape culture from more than just their parents. They learn it from media, from other people, from discussions and comments when rapes happen and what is “legitimate” rape and what “isn’t”. Part of the insidiousness of it all is that rape is often misunderstood to only be this violent, surprise-attack, crying and screaming sort of affair, when in reality, it’s also taking advantage of someone who’s passed out. It’s coercing someone into having sex by abusing your authority, or coercing someone when they’re too drunk or high to make a proper decision.

And those other instances are situations that aren’t as clear and obvious for a young person growing up in rape culture. Hopefully, most people know that forcing yourself on a protesting, screaming person is wrong. But how many of them understand that just because someone didn’t say no, doesn’t mean they said yes?

Thankfully, we’re getting more and more messages that boil it down to the simple fact of being clear and being sure that the two parties or more have expressed full consent. If you can’t say for absolute certain that the person you want to sleep with said yes or “Hell yeah!” or “Let’s do it!” while in full control of their mental faculties, then it’s not consensual.

That’s what made the Stubben case an eye opener for many. It doesn’t matter that she was drunk, or dressed in whatever way. It doesn’t matter that she didn’t say no (because she was blacked out). What matters is that she didn’t say, “Yes.”

I’d give fair certainty that this sort of thing happened ALL THE TIME, but it was at best local news. I have terrible memories of such happening to fellow students back when I was in highschool.

But now… now everything is instagrammed and tweeted. Now the rapists and murderers are just GIVING the cops evidence. Now we all hear about it. I hope this trend continues, because the more we hear about it, the more we will be vigilant, and the less it will happen. I don’t want the criminals to wise up and stop posting it to the net, because then we’re just going back to ignorance is bliss while it still happens.

IronEdithKidd

There’s no need for new laws. There is a need for proper enforcement of existing laws (sexual assult, rape, battery, etc). Keep publicizing these cases, as much as it hurts to post them, because rape culture will not change if nobody talks about it.

When a victim of something like this commits suicide, not only do they tragically waste their own life; they remove the most powerful witness in the case and increase the chance of their attackers going unpunished.

Leaping Lemur

The onus shouldn’t BE on the victim in the first place. What Audrie went through was brutal–going through a rape trial? I’ve heard people say that their experience was even more hurtful and dehumanizing than being raped. It’s more than I’d ask of any 15-year-old, or anyone else for that matter. Support people who do go forward but don’t shame victims because they’re hurting for not doing what you want them to do.

ErzengelDesLichtes

So it should be treated like a murder trial, where it’s the government that’s the prosecution. (After all, the victim can’t really be the prosecution in that case)
There have been cases in the states where rape, sexual assault, and even assault and battery were treated that way, usually because the victim refused to press charges.

Leaping Lemur

I can totally get behind that. Though the rapist has a constitutional right to confront his accuser, so the victim *has* to sit in the witness box and look at their attacker–and there’ve been cases where they’ve been crossed by their rapist who just takes it as another opportunity to victimize them.

Not to mention that their sexual history, every “mistake” (isn’t it true your skirt was short, isn’t it true you were knowingly drinking around men) gets laid out in a court of law and all the other special fuckery that goes into prosecuting rape cases. And that’s even if you GET to trial. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve heard that people can’t even get past the unsympathetic cops–or how victims who recant (’cause, y’know, they’re afraid) get thrown in jail for making false accusations. That kind of thing stops people from going forward because as soon as you bring an accusation, you’re in the adversarial dance with the government/the court/the cops/your rapist.

ErzengelDesLichtes

Which is why the rapist instagramming their misdeeds is awesome. No false allegations, you don’t even need the rapee as a witness or an accuser, you have the prosecuter making the allegation him- or herself based on evidence, not witness testimony.

I’m certainly not trying to shame the victim, especially one so young. I’m just mentioning a fact of the terrible situation which struck me as particularly tragic.

Jadiwin

Like I told my wife this morning, at least these cases are coming to light. The parents of these communities can’t ignore this anymore. When teens do these things they aren’t kids anymore and should be treated/tried as adults.

During my long recovery from being drugged at age 19 with what I think was Ketamine and raped by four guys, I quickly began turning my anger and “why me?” attitude into, “I’m glad they chose me.” I was/am glad it was me, and that they didn’t chose a girl who might have ended up committing suicide. I came close enough to doing the same myself, and I’m sure if there were pictures and reminders of the attack around me that I might have done just that. Honestly, part of the reason I never went to the police was because I couldn’t stand the thought of having to relive the details over and over in the endless testimony or news publicity. My heart breaks for these victims, but it is at least comforted by the fact that finally “rape culture” is being discussed. I’ve said it before: the one thought that took the longest for me to recover from was the idea that not ONE of those 4 guys stopped things. My rape wasn’t a lone, twisted predator acting out; it was the result of a mob mentality led by the sicko who I believe provided the drug and recruited/encouraged the others. We need to teach our young men to stand up against these predators, even when it’s their friend, teammate, or frat brother. We need to realize that “peer pressure” can be a horrible monster in many ways and give our children the strength and courage to stand up against it. After all, there are lives at stake.

Deer_God

Holy shit, LL. I’m at a loss for words. I’m so sorry you had to go through that, but I’m also very grateful that you made it out the other end. *hugs*

Thank you, sugar. It was a long road to regain my mental, emotional, and sexual health. For over a year, I couldn’t ride in a car or be in an elevator with any male, even those whom I had been friends with since Kindergarten, without having a panic attack. Around that time, I ended up sort of stumbling into a much needed job which happened to be as desk receptionist for the freshmen men’s dorm. It was only through being forced to interact with the residents that I overcame the attack. My no-bullshit advice and personality helped set me up as both a “dorm mother” and equal to them, and their gentle friendship healed my damaged trust.

By the end of my second semester working, I managed to ride the elevator up to one of the floors to retrieve a key from a Resident Adviser. None of the residents who shared the ride with me realized how momentous those few seconds were. The following school year, some of the RA’s got a house together, and made a little private area in part of a rec room for me to stay any time. Soon, I was staying there more than my own apartment and was constantly spending time with the men who became my best friends and de facto brothers. Another year later, the PTSD nightmares subsided. <3

It’s nice to be able to, considering how long I was silent about it IRL.

Wreathy

~just hugs~

Ruminum

I didn’t want to “like” a recounting of such an awful event in your life, LL, but I’m so furious and sad that it happened to you, angered by what those guys did, and thankful and happy that you were able to work your way out of some of the darkness and pain it caused you. :/

Thank you. <3 I happened to get stranded at that party that night by a friend who ran off with some dude. Alone, and without a car, I was a vulnerable target asking around if anybody would mind giving me a ride to my apartment and obviously without anybody I knew left at the party. So I've also been very vocal about the "leave no woman behind" motto to my female friends since the rape. I don't care how much they're crushing on some dude at a party, I tell them to get his number and arrange a date no matter what their beer goggles might be telling them. I guess, now that I'm thinking about it, this is also something very important to add to the fight against rape culture: teaching young girls to stick together no matter how much a drunk friend might say she wants to go off alone with a dude. Rule: If you go out and drink together, you come home together. No exceptions.

whycantwejustloveeverybody

You are a stronger woman than I could ever be. I’m always in awe of those that can pick up their lives after such a traumatic event. I know I would have simply curled up and died, literally. Good for you and every other woman who has been able to overcome their rape.

I’ll repeat the internet hugs. I really feel for you, and this is why I am so scared for my little sister who is a freshman in college. I applaud you for having the courage to step up and speak out, because there needs to be more people to say “THIS IS NOT RIGHT!”

BTW, if one of my friends, frat brothers, or teammates did this, I am not sure he would survive the night. No bro-bond is bigger than rape.

Alice Trout

The only upside to these cases getting publicity is the increased awareness they are creating. Growing up, me and several of my friends were victimized, but we didn’t think to call these events as rape or sexual abuse due to a total lack of awareness on our part. Hopefully as this awareness spreads, fewer women will grow up with stories like the ones we had…

Luna93

I know there are a lot of women, some on here even, who have been hurt and damaged by men such as these, considering the fact that one in four women have been the victim or nearly the victim of sexual assault. Take heart in knowing that while it is terribly tragic, the fact that we’re even reading this story is a good sign. People are speaking up, and giving voice. Campaigns are starting to find that educating a would-be rapist does help. Most of all, you are warriors. Not every soldier makes it through the war, but I want you to know that at least for myself, I am here for you, and many other people on DotD are as well. You are not alone in your battles. If you’re ever struggling, you can always contact me on my Tumblr bobtheweepingangel. I’m not a psychologist but if nothing else, I want to support and lift up those who are hurting. No one ever needs to go through this alone.

SHSstudent

I just got home from school- I’m a student at Saratoga High School. And you know, you read about stuff like this in the news all the time. Steubenville was a few months ago, and just two days ago I was reading an article on that Canadian girl and now suddenly it’s us on the front page of national newspapers and on websites I visit everyday (like this one)! Its all very surreal. I never knew Audrey because were were in different grades and different social circles but to know something like this could happen here right under our noses is kind of scary particularly because we’re on the edge of Silicon Valley and we’re supposed to be progressive and intelligent and The Future. Stuff like this happens all the time – and it really shouldn’t, it’s despicable – but for it to happen here, in a place I always felt was a safe haven and that other students sometimes describe as an overprotective bubble- speaks volumes of the widespread nature of the problem.

*hugs* I know that feeling of, “nothing like that would happen in my town”. That’s why it’s so important to have conversations about these dangers in EVERY school. I really think they should be added to a mandatory health class for freshmen. The peer pressure and social groups start really taking form then and increase throughout the next few years; I think it’s important to get these lessons through to the incoming freshman before they start forming the bonds that might lead them down this path.

SHSstudent

That’s the thing though! We DO have a mandatory health class for freshmen where they taught us about rape and no means no and all that stuff but I guess that doesn’t mean people learn anything from it. Maybe sometimes people are just terrible ):

Hmm, or perhaps they need to think about how they can encourage others to stand up for the potential victim and stand up against the potential attacker. Also, I think we need to start addressing how if a girl gets drunk and has sex or flashes a guy, she’s ostracized for being a slut and teased by others. But if a guy gets drunk and has sex or streaks, he’s considered normal or even cooler.

I think, overall, this is also a huge statement on bullying and general perception of human worth among our teens. A discussion that points out that even if you personally dislike or “hate” somebody, you should never sit back and let them be sexually assaulted or humiliated.

JeremiahCatclaw

I recommend a large dose of baseball-bat-to-the-head for these fine examples of human excrement.

Some of my closest female friends have been raped, some before and some after I met them (and I’d say almost everyone knows someone who has been, whether they are aware of the event or not). The ones who were turned in should be glad that there are prison bars between them and me. The ones who weren’t…should hope that I don’t find out who they are, as that information has been withheld from me because the victim doesn’t want me to be the one in prison.